Horizon Report Reflection

The New Media Consortium. or NMC, releases its Horizon Report annually. I read two from the K-12 Edition in the area of Important Developments in Education Technology. Technologies are categorized by their projected time for adaptation: one year or less, two to three years, or four to five. My selections covered the furthest horizon and discussed digital badges and wearable technology.

Digital Badges provide a way of recognizing skills and achievements that, unlike grades, have not been noted in the past. Badge types and names can vary widely; they could be used to recognize group collaboration skills or be awarded for overcoming an obstacle in a task. Currently, there are a number of different groups and foundations working to align badges with specific requirements already in place for systems like college acceptance as well as implement their systems with schools and businesses.

There are a number of pros and cons to a badge system. One benefit for badges is providing evidence of various soft skills that are valued in higher education and employers. Another is that the can provide a structure for completing a number of tasks that are necessary for acquiring things like licensure and acceptance at a school or business. Badges can also be an incentive in themselves for others to work to earn and collect. This idea has found as many critics as supporters. Some are concerned that badges could spark unnecessary competition between students, or that the badges themselves become the focus for motivation instead of desire for self improvement or of wishing to make a positive impact on others and their surroundings. Another con lies in the Digital Badge's infancy. Until a common system of badges is established, avoiding issues like overlapping themes and irrelevance in areas that aren't using the same system, badges themselves could lack the value to be the benefit they are intended to be, even if good systems have been put in place.

The second article concerned the use of wearable technology in the classroom. Wearable technology is most recognized in earlier years as the calculator wristwatch. Since then, watches have been made that can share exponentially more information to--and about--the user than just a few years ago. It's usage in the classroom is still very limited because it's so new, but a few instances have been noted in parts of the county. Many education classes have used step counters before to help students be aware of how much movement they have in a day. Today's technology can also provide feedback to the user, based on the data it received, in such areas as what and how much to eat and what kind of exercise to do in addition to stats on heart rate and movement. To the extent in which wearable technology is used in the classroom, it will first come out for assisting students with special needs. From auditory apps that can help access content from the Internet and run it directly to devices for hearing impaired students to devices that can provide feedback to professionals from students with severe learning or physical disabilities, wearable technology will help these students learn and perform at levels not possible before. Regarding their integration into the general population, time will tell. The costs are high right now, as they are with any new technology, and safeguards will need to be put into place first that will address privacy and academic integrity concerns. That said, like the badge system, wearable technology is still a few years out, but the initial looks show promise.

From: NMC Horizon Report 2015 K-12 Edition. (n.d.). Retrieved July 25, 2015, from http://www.nmc.org/publication/nmc-horizon-report-2015-k-12-edition/

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TOOLS

Classroom management and student behavior are topics of discussion--and dissension--at my school every year. At the end of last year I decided to join the committee responsible for addressing school wide initiatives for improving and maintain good behavior. Currently, we have a card system in place; students that exhibit negative behaviors after an initial warning are told to set their green cards to red. Behaviors that persist or are more serious infractions are set to red. The most negative behaviors like fighting are addressed with a orange card, and student's parents are contacted. Beyond the orange, rarely do the consequences for the different colors correspond between individual classrooms: some really use their behavior boards and some, well, don't. To make matters worse,the boards themselves are hard to use. The colored paper is hard to slip in and out of pockets, and students who move through a lot of colors can be easily identified by the creased, wrinkled wads the papers form into as the year progresses. Fortunately, technological tools exist that can create a cohesion amongst teachers while providing fast, effective feedback on behavior to students and their family without having to kill trees.

Class Dojo is a site I'd already heard about at my school but had not put into practice myself. A colleague of mine in the fifth grade (who also loves to try new tools of technology) spoke highly of it last year and suggested I give it a try. Getting set up with Class Dojo (just go to classdojo.com to get started) was extremely easy; a sample class was already set up so that I could immediately begin using it as though I were in class with my students.

Class Dojo is perfect for teachers that have tablets with them. This allows them to tap their screens and provide input on a student the moment a behavior occurs. Each time behavior is noted and recorded, Class Dojo will automatically keep track of the number of positive and negative marks, keeping a net number next to the student to note their overall behavior during the lesson. Once marking is complete, a report is quickly generated, showing the behavior scores for individual students as well as the entire class. This information can be shared with parents, students, or held and used by the teacher for planning future assignments, seating arrangements, and other student considerations.

Class Dojo can be incorporated into existing behavior plans, too. For my own classroom, I would use class dojo along with my card system. Instead of changing the cards throughout the day, I would use Class Dojo to keep track of all student bahaviors throughout the lessons, showing students their results so that they can keep track and monitor themselves, too. Then, at the end of the day, students' net scores would be shared, and depending on their number, students would set their color and reflect on what they did to land there. Using the reports on Class Dojo, the student could work with the teacher to learn when specific problems and successes took place and make a plan to for improvement or maintenance the following day. Just like with their academics, if the the students don't know what their behavior is and what is supposed to be, they'll never know what to do to improve or stay the course.

Class Dojo is free to use. Additional information can be found at: https://www.classdojo.com/about/

ISTE Standards for Students

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Communication and collaboration (a, b,)

       Research and information fluency (d)

       Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making (b, c)

       Digital citizenship (a, b, c, d)

       Technology operations and concepts (a, b)

ISTE Standards for Teachers

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Facilitate and Inspire student learning and creativity (a, b, c,d)

       Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments (a, c)

       Model digital age work and learning (b, c, d)

       Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility (a, b, c)

       Engage in professional growth and leadership (a, b)

Sources:

 https://www.classdojo.com/about/

OPEN ED SITES

As technology continues advancements in all areas including education, several sites have come along that have taken education further than simply providing supplements or support. Open education sites, like Kahn Academy and OpenEd, have worked to creative comprehensive platforms that have even acted as the primary source of learning for some people. For students in the elementary classroom, open education sites can act as great resources to support student learning and track progress.

The first thing I noticed--and appreciated--when considering these sites for my own class centered around their structure. All of the sites I visited had content rooted in the Common Core. Lessons were identified by standard and strand and contained the same concepts across sites. This alignment is particularly useful when districts adopt the common core and need material that is already structured, leveled, and available.

Kahn Academy's Content as Structured by Common Core

Lessons and Video page on OpenEd showing Common Core Connections

If possessing the appropriate content for learning wasn't enough to persuade teachers to try them out, the user-friendly layout makes setting up one's classroom, assigning tasks and videos to student, and assessing what they've learned quick and easy. In just a few minutes I was able to create a profile, start a class, set up my roster, send out invitations, and assign work on both of these sites. While both sites are easy to use, students may prefer to use one more than the other. Providing options like which site to use while maintaining adherence to instruction of the same material is yet another pro to open education sites.

There are cons to using open ed sites as well. For one, some students don't learn as well from online learning, and other might like it but lack the resources outside of school to use it. In addition, the more sites a teacher has up for students to use, the more time it will take checking in on students in different locations to assign them different tasks. Using too many of these types of sites can leave a teacher short on time, a problem that technology is suppose to address instead of create.

Kahn Academy is free to use. OpenEd is also free to use but does contain premium and school membership options as listed below:

As with any site or technological resource, the amount that one gets out of it is proportional to the amount of time and energy one puts into it. This is true for teachers as well as students. Sites like Kahn Academy and Open Ed are providing opportunities for learning that never existed before, but the opportunity must be taken for there to be a chance of success. Once teachers have explored these sites for themselves, considered the needs of their students, and know what they want out of open ed sites, these tools can provide the extra practice and new experiences for learning will they understand what will work for them and what work they'll need to put in. 

ISTE Standards for Students

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Creativity and innovation (a, b, c, d)

       Communication and collaboration (a, b, c, d)

       Research and information fluency (b, c,)

       Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making (a, b, c)

       Digital citizenship (a, b, c, d)

       Technology operations and concepts (a, b, c, d)

ISTE Standards for Teachers

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Facilitate and Inspire student learning and creativity (a, b, c,d)

       Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments (a, b, c)

       Model digital age work and learning (a, b, c, d)

       Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility (a, b)

       Engage in professional growth and leadership (a, b, d)

Sources:

https://www.opened.io/

https://www.khanacademy.org/

https://www.oercommons.org/

http://www.curriki.org/

SNAPGUIDE

Modeling procedures is something teachers will do with their students--especially elementary--nearly every day.With the proper tools, like SnapGuide, time and effort can be spent on other activities so that technology can instruct and provide lessons using flowcharts and step by step instructions.

In the past, I had spent a lot of time modeling the steps for making a calendar each fall, then repeating them as I made another calendar with the class as each student made his/her own. The following month when a new calendar was made I found myself having to repeat the steps and directions to many students who'd already forgotten the procedure.  With SnapGuide, once a presentation is made and saved, the address can be embedded into newsletters, emailed homework assignments, or bookmarked on classroom computers for students to explore on their own without additional time and assistance being needed from the teacher.  Below is the guide I created:

Check out How to Make a Calendar for the Month of September by Jason Hall on Snapguide.

As you can see, guides like these are able to provide students with assistance with their learning at a pace that is set by that student. Users can scan, review, and go back to previous directions as many times as they need without disrupting the flow of the class like it would with more traditional forms of lecture and instruction. Students can use guides as part of a station set-up, create their own as they learn to create flowcharts and write procedure text, and review previous taught and practiced material.

The applications for teachers are numerous. Once a guide as been created on SnapGuide, it's saved and doesn't need to be reproduced every year. Students can review the guides on their own, giving the teacher more time to be available for other questions and concerns. They're also fun to make, giving students a different medium that paper and pencil to create and share their ideas and learning.

Concerning cost, SnapGuide is free to use. It can be found at: https://snapguide.com

ISTE Standards for Students

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Creativity and innovation (a, b, c, d)

       Communication and collaboration (a, b, c, d)

       Research and information fluency (b, c, d)

       Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making (a, b, d)

       Digital citizenship (a, b, c, d)

       Technology operations and concepts (a, b, c, d)

ISTE Standards for Teachers

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Facilitate and Inspire student learning and creativity (a, b, c,d)

       Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments (a, b, c)

       Model digital age work and learning (a, b, c, d)

       Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility (a, b, c)

       Engage in professional growth and leadership (a, d)

Sources:

A place for makers. (n.d.). Retrieved July 17, 2015, from https://snapguide.com/

WEB 2.0 AND 3.0 TOOLS

As technology improves, so does the way we view the tools and experiences we have with those tools on the Internet. Before introducing one such tool, let's take a look at what web 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 tools look like:



In short, the numbers have changed as the Internet itself has evolved. Web 1.0 is a closed system, publishing is done individually, communication is one-way, involvement is passive, and content from websites--mostly personal in nature--is read-only. The structure of Web 2.0 is very different: work is collaborative, uses group participation, and two-way communication, has active involvement, and content is user-generated. Web 3.0 represents another step. It's sometimes referred to as the "semantic Web," where computers will be generating raw data on their own. For Web 1.0 and 2.0, the Internet is trapped within the physical walls of the computer, but as more devices get connected (like cars, smart phones, and household appliances), the Internet will become more omnipresent. Devices will be able to share data between each other and create new information.

Sites like HappyClass have been created with collaboration and user-generated content. Instead of using paper and pencil to draw out seating assignments, saving the copies as the year continues to ensure seating variety (not to mention provide reminders about what students should or shouldn't be seated near each other).  With HappyClass, a teacher can quickly create seating assignment in any arrangement she/he feels fit, change assignments with the click of the mouse, and save previous arrangements for future reference. In addition, notes can be taken and recorded, helping the teacher remember what specific students work well and not so well with each other. Configurations can be shared and compared with colleagues and provide additional behavior insights that could be shared at conference time.

Creating your class seating assignments is extremely easy. Click the mouse to add a desk; click on the desk again to remove it.

Once desks are added, student names can be submitted before HappyClass automatically generates seating assignments for the class.

Initially, all students are "happy" with their seating arrangements. Over time, the teacher will notice that some students do not get along with each other, and other get along too well.

As the screenshot above shows, once an individual student is selected, a visual menu will pop up, allowing the teacher to put in feedback about that student's behavior/disposition. HappyClass will then switch that student's seat with another student that is a better match for that particular group.

While there is no cost for initial sign-up, Happy Class has a tiered structure that allows for more tool access at an additional cost. Below is a table that outlines cost:

For any teacher that want to let the sites like Happy Class do some of the work for them so she/he can focus on other important things, this tool will allow the freedom of restructuring seating assignments without the headaches associated with using more antiquated systems.

ISTE Standards for Teachers

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Facilitate and Inspire student learning and creativity (a, b, c,d)

       Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments (a, b, c)

       Model digital age work and learning (b, c, d)

       Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility (a, b, c)

       Engage in professional growth and leadership (b, d)

Sources:

Web 2.0 vs. Web 3.0 - What Really is the Difference? (2015, April 3). Retrieved July 18, 2015, from http://randymatusky.com/2015/04/03/web-2-0-vs-web-3-0-what-really-is-the-difference/

HappyClass: Automatic Classroom Seating Chart Maker for Teachers. (n.d.). Retrieved July 17, 2015, from http://happyclassapp.com/

Web 2.0, Web 3.0, and the Internet of Things. (2014, October 14). Retrieved July 17, 2015, from http://www.uxbooth.com/articles/web-2-0-web-3-0-and-the-internet-of-things/

VOCAB AHEAD

As students learn more words they become better readers, writers, and speakers. In the last several years my district has placed an added emphasis on vocabulary acquisition with the adoption of the Literacy by Design language arts program. Every theme contains 10 new vocubulary words that students will copy along with the definition into vocabulary journals along with drawing a picture that illustrates the words. Lessons in each them address the new words, encouraging students to create graphic organizers and write sentences to help them remember the words' meanings and uses in sentences.
After a few years of using this curriculum, we found that many students were not acquiring as much new vocabulary as we'd wished, so we looked at the assessements, as well as our own teaching practices, to try to determine where and when the learning broke down. What we discovered is that those teachers that addressed vocabulary every day in classes, working with students to apply newly learned words into their work on a regular basis, had the highest scores on the assessments. Those teacher that simply had their students do the initial lesson in their vocabulary journals did not see the same improvements. Just like the saying goes, students that didn't regularly use the new learning, lost the new learning. How then, can a teacher improve vocabulary scores when class time is limited?  Programs like VocabAhead are tools to help teachers and students do just that.

VocabAhead (found at http://www.vocabahead.com/) is an online tool that contains a database of hundreds of vocabulary words, including their meaning, an illustration, as well as an audio for both so that students can hear pronunciation and the word's correct usage. Teachers can create their own custom lists for students to study, apply, and practice before being assessed on what they'd learned. VocabAhead is a great start but most likely not the only resource a teacher will need to address all of the words he/she wants learned in the classroom in a year. For one, the program addresses words that are for the 6th grade and up, so many elementary teachers will not be able to use the majority of indexed words. That said, I found several that are not only vocabulary words addressed by our LbD curriculum but also words that I use myself with the class throughout the year. For my own room, I created a list after searching through every word in the site's database, about 50 words in all.

I plan to start using this program with students that have mastered the assigned vocabulary and want to learn new words. The words can also be used for students that don't understand a word I used in my own lecture but is found on VocabAhead's list. For them I can assign them the task of finding, learning, and reporting on the word instead of just telling them the answer myself.

Quizzes on VocabAhead's site allow students to review what they've learned. They are self generated and listed as selected response. I tried taking a 10-question quiz myself on my new words and did fairly well:

ISTE Standards for Students

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Creativity and innovation (c)

       Communication and collaboration (b)

       Research and information fluency (b, c, d)

       Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making (b, c)

       Digital citizenship (a, b, c, d)

       Technology operations and concepts (a, b, c, d)

ISTE Standards for Teachers

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Facilitate and Inspire student learning and creativity (a, b, c)

       Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments (a, b, c)

       Model digital age work and learning (a, b, c, d)

       Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility (a, b, c)

       Engage in professional growth and leadership (d)

Sources:  http://www.vocabahead.com/

SOCIAL BOOKMARKING

I admit, I adopted this tool with some initial skepticism. After all, the only connection I'd made to social bookmarking before was to Pinterest, a site I assumed was for arts and crafts. As it turns out, social bookmarking can entail any interest or pursuit, whether they be educational, occupational, or recreational. How is social bookmarking different from bookmarking? Both will help the user capture and hold lists of websites of interest, but the former doesn't limit access by the one computer it's store upon. Social bookmarking sites like Simbaloo, ShareOr, and Livebinder are just a few examples of resources that can help you find links of interest and store them online. Some, like ShareOr allow for additional collaboration by setting up conferences and sharing tagged items.  LiveBinder is geared more towards business and education, while Simbaloo is open to a variety of interests. All of these sites have their own features, but they all have one critical component in common: they free up your own memory by storing the sites to information you wish to save.

For my own additional exploration, I dug deeper into Google Bookmarks. Since I'd already grown familiar with some of Google's other applications and use it's bookmarking feature on my computer's browser, I felt more comfortable trying my own online bookmark list there. (I also wanted to see if my computer's bookmarks could be exported online.)  

In just a few minutes, I'd begun adding sites of interest into my bookmarking page. One thing I noticed right away: to help manage the sites and keep things organized, it is very important to attach labels to your entered sites. For example, I had a number of sites bookmarked: some for personal and professional interests, some for my students to use. Adding labels allows me to group my bookmarks by label, so any that I labeled "3rd Grade" would immediately cluster all the sites I want to share with my third grade students. Adding additional labels allows me to streamline my search for specific content, like math, language arts, and social studies. Without labels, trying to find that one site among the dozens or potentially hundreds collected would be like trying to find that one piece of hay in a haystack!

Here is a top portion of my bookmark list. As you can see, labels that I've created are listed on the right. I can click on any of them to find all of the sites I've attached that label onto.

Now that I've selected the "3rd Grade" label, you can see some of the selections that fall under that heading.

I can select labels by specific topic to break my content down further. All of my entries can be edited so that labels can be added or subtracted. I could create a label for students to identify the ones found and recommended by the kids in my class. 

With the plethora of information and resources available to teacher today, it is impossible to keep track of any of it without good organizational tools. With so much of these resources available online, it only makes sense to adopt an online tool that can keep track of it all. Choosing the right tool is up to the educator. One thing to keep in mind is cost. Nearly all of the sites I found are free to sign up and use. Those that charge do so to cover the cost of servers saving all of this information online. For many of us, the storage offered with free memberships will be enough.  That said, bookmarking does not take up a lot of storage space, and considering that Google is offering cloud storage for around 2 cents a month per gigabyte, bookmarking is one online tool that isn't going to tap your pocketbook.

ISTE Standards for Students

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Creativity and innovation (a, b)

       Communication and collaboration (a, b)

       Research and information fluency (a, b, c)

       Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making (c)

       Digital citizenship (a, b, c, d)

       Technology operations and concepts (a, b, c, d)

ISTE Standards for Teachers

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Facilitate and Inspire student learning and creativity (a, c, d)

       Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments (a, b, c, d)

       Model digital age work and learning (a, b, c, d)

       Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility (a, b, c)

       Engage in professional growth and leadership (a, b, d)

Sources:
http://www.symbaloo.com/
http://www.livebinders.com/welcome/home#
https://www.google.com/bookmarks
http://www.shareor.com/

PARTICIPATION APPLICATIONS

Another tool I wanted to learn more about surrounded the need for applications that encouraged participation. I started with these three sites:

http://www.polleverywhere.com/
https://www.classpager.com/

http://www.gosoapbox.com

All three are geared around asking questions and receiving responses. The applications for these tools are numerous: they can be used for parent and student surveys, as assessments to determine where students are with their learning before, during, and after instruction, and for professional development as colleagues can offer feedback on instructional systems, attitudes on school improvement, and responses to different types of surveys and polls. All three are valuable tools that encourage participation, but I choose PollEverywhere as focus of my Toolbox Studies.

PollEverywhere (Found at http://www.polleverywhere.com) is a website that allows teacher to design surveys, polls, and quizzes before participants take them using computers or text messaging. A number of different question formats are available, from selected and written response items to open response and uploadable images that allow users to click on a region to denote a choice.

Once a poll has been created, teachers can use the editing software to change the appearance with text, color, design and layout. Nothing is posted until the teacher is ready to go live, and results are reported in easy-to-read visuals that show who responded and how they responded.

Quality assessment can mean the difference between quality instruction and students that continue to struggle to learn. Having tools like Poll Everywhere allows for many opportunities for feedback, not just assessing student knowledge but disposition as well. Parents can also be asked questions and provide helpful insights regarding the strengths and needs of their children, their attitudes and opinions about particular components of the school and classwork as well as providing them an opportunity to provide feedback at a time that works best for them. Teachers that value good communication with their students and students' families will want to consider using websites like these to improve and enhance this correspondence.

Poll Everywhere can be found at the above web address. Like many sites, it also has a tiered pricing table as seen below:

For many, the free version will offer plenty to get started polling and assessing students and family members. If additional features and options are desired, the cost will increase, like using the program school wide, offering the ability to share polls among other teachers, and having more control managing accounts.

For additional information and pricing info, go to: http://www.polleverywhere.com/ and https://www.polleverywhere.com/account/plans/k-12

ISTE Standards for Students

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Creativity and innovation (c)

       Communication and collaboration (a, b)

       Research and information fluency (b, d)

       Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making (c)

       Digital citizenship (a, b, c, d)

       Technology operations and concepts (a, b, c, d)

ISTE Standards for Teachers

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Facilitate and Inspire student learning and creativity (a, b, c,d)

       Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments (a, b, c, d)

       Model digital age work and learning (a, b, c, d)

       Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility (a, b, c)

       Engage in professional growth and leadership (a, b, c, d)

CONNECTING WITH PARENTS USING SIGN UP GENIUS

When I first started teaching, I remember going to special 2-hour meetings, twice a year, to schedule conferences. We'd all sit at tables in a huge circle as the principal hunched over an accordion-folded stack of printed names of students at the school that also had siblings in attendance. Students that received additional services were also listed so that we could all coordinate conference times that would make it easier for those families to attend back-to-back conferences instead of possibly coming on separate nights if these  scheduling meetings did not occur. It generally ran smoothly enough, but I doubt there were many that didn't feel like they had more pressing matters to attend to, like preparing for the conferences themselves.

As technology develops with time, websites like Sign Up Genius are changing the way teachers schedule meetings with parents and family.  Sign Up Genius is a website that allows schools and teachers to organized dates and create meeting times before emailing others to take part. The graphic below illustrates how easy the steps are to this process on their site:

This process allows for more flexibility for all parties. Teachers no longer need to coordinate times to accommodate for certain students. Parents are able to log in at any time to schedule times that work best for their schedules. Reminders are automatically sent, saving additional time. One account can be used  to organize multiple classrooms. As each group/classroom is added, family emails can be included for each class should they have more than one child attending the school. Teachers and administration can make changes to the schedule to allow for specified break times are parent requests.

No matter the size of school, any teacher would benefit from using Sign Up Genius. It allows for greater flexibility in planning and communicating. It can be accessed 24/7 by both teachers and parents and saves the waste of paper for notifications. Set up is easy and intuitive; once family emails are collected they simply need to be entered into Sign Up Genius and the website will store everything there.

Concerning cost, like many other sites Sign Up Genius is offered for free, but the options are more limited. Below is a table that shows the services offered for each tier of cost. Pricing information is also available at http://www.signupgenius.com/pricing

ISTE Standards for Teachers

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Facilitate and Inspire student learning and creativity (d)

       Model digital age work and learning (a, b, c, d)

       Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility (a, b, c)

       Engage in professional growth and leadership (a, b, c, d)

Sources:

http://www.signupgenius.com/

SMORE

Looking for a way to communicate ideas, inform others of upcoming events, or share information with students and family without the waste of paper? Smore is a newsletter making app that allows the creator to do all those things and more.

Getting started couldn't be easier with Smore. Once you've chosen to make your first flyer you'll follow the directions that will highlight the features and steps to take. Adding features on the flyer is as simple as pushing the plus sign between each section that will appear when the mouse cursor is dragged over that area. An editing menu allows for changes in the appearance of each section, font type, background and font colors, as well as the ability to insert links, video, audio, text and pictures.

The pedagogical uses for this tool are applicable to both teacher and student. Students are able to use this software to create presentations in a unique writing format. For example, if the class was learning about landforms, one group might make a flyer for Yellowstone Park, showing pictures of the different types of landforms, their locations, and features that make them the types of landforms they are. Another group may create a poster that teaches about water and how it's movement over time can shape the earth to make different types of landforms. Teachers can use Smore in a number of different ways. Smore can be used to create teaching presentations or models for high quality--and lower quality--work. Moreover, since there are no paper copies, Smore fliers can be edited to show new information and can be saved for use later.

To begin using Smore, just go to https://www.smore.com and create an account.  It is free to get started, but usage is limited for free members. Only 200 emails can be sent a month with the free plan, and that may not be sufficient for high school teachers that have several classes they wish to use Smore for communication. In addition, some features, like choosing a custom background, are not available to free members.

For those that do wish to pay for Smore, the pricing plans are shown below:

As you can see directly above, there is a special plan for educator pricing, as well.

Teachers that are looking for new ways to share class information in a paper friendly format will definitely want to give a Smore a serious look. With the vast majority of families having and using email to communicate, it is easier than ever for teachers to create mailing lists and electronically send their newsletters and other information. Also, as new information becomes known, items can be added or subtracted and resent without the extra hassle of copies and paper costs.

ISTE Standards for Students

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Creativity and innovation (a, b)

       Communication and collaboration (a, b, c, d)

       Research and information fluency (b, d)

       Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making (b, c)

       Digital citizenship (a, b, c, d)

       Technology operations and concepts (a, b, c, d)

ISTE Standards for Teachers

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Facilitate and Inspire student learning and creativity (a, b, c,d)

       Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments (a, b, c)

       Model digital age work and learning (a, b, c, d)

       Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility (a, b, c)

       Engage in professional growth and leadership (a, b)

Sources:

https://www.smore.com/pricing?ur=toolbar

https://www.smore.com

At the bottom of this post is a Smore I made as part of an assignment on sharing a technology tool that can be used in education:

SEARCH ENGINES

Anyone that has had much experience on the Internet is familiar with search engines, but not everyone knows how many different kinds there are or that some tools are not true search engines at all. Simply stated, a search engine is a program that searches the Internet for content based on the key words typed into it by the user. Two of the largest search engines today are Google and Bing. Each of these sites has millions of users each day, searching for content on the millions of web pages found on the Internet. In addition, web directories (also known as link directories) are used for finding content as well, but these are not considered search engines. Typically compiled by people, they contain lists of related websites and links but will not search into the individual site's content itself. Metasearch engines are for searching other search engines(like dogpile), and aggregators are websites that collect related items of content and displays them as links on their pages (see popurls as an example of an aggregator).

Above is the custom search engine I created. Feel free to type some keywords in and see where the search will take you!

A tool like this is necessary in the classroom today. Even with the best firewalls and software to limit student exposure to noneducational content on the Internet, the shear load of content can make it difficult for even the savviest of adults to navigate and disseminate. By creating their own custom search engines, teachers can limit searches made by students to a handful of sites selected specifically by the teacher for that particular lesson. As the students become more proficient at using the proper key words, learn how to choose material relevant to their tasks, and are ready for more advanced content for a greater number of sources the teacher can adjust the search engines accordingly, adding or subtracting sites depending on content and the needs of the learner.

Below are two examples of how a custom search engine can modify or limit the content that the student is exposed to. When I went to google.com and typed "tool" into the search bar, these are the first results I received:

If the students were doing research on the rock band, the results here would be appropriate. However, if the teacher was assigning students to research and learn more about simple machines, a custom search engine would be helpful. Below are the results for the same search for the word too, this time on my own search engine:

Taking a few minutes to learn how to make custom search engines will save teachers much more time trying to focus student searches and helping to find the right content. One can find a great tutorial that will get started using custom Google searches here.  Even better, using Google's search tool is free and can be accessed here to get started.

ISTE Standards for Students

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Creativity and innovation (c,d)

       Communication and collaboration (a, b)

       Research and information fluency (a, b, c, d)

       Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making (a, b, c, d)

       Digital citizenship (a, b, c, d)

       Technology operations and concepts (a, c, d)

ISTE Standards for Teachers

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Facilitate and Inspire student learning and creativity (a, b, c,d)

       Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments (a, b, c, d)

       Model digital age work and learning (a, b, c, d)

       Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility (a, b, c)

       Engage in professional growth and leadership (c, d)

Sources:

Major Search Engines and Directories. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2015, from http://searchenginewatch.com/sew/how-to/2048976/major-search-engines-directories#

Google Custom Search Engine Tutorial. (n.d.). Retrieved July 13, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy04EsioLPo

(n.d.). Retrieved July 13, 2015, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Favicon

Standards for Teachers. (n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2015, from http://www.iste.org/standards/ISTE-standards/standards-for-teachers

ISTE Standards for Students. (n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2015, from http://www.iste.org/standards/ISTE-standards/standards-for-students

TOOLBOX: PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGES

Few will argue the importance of appearances when presenting information. Websites today are loaded with graphics as much as they are with actual content, all in an attempt to capture the eye--and attention--of its visitors. In our educational climate, we not only teach the value of presentation when sharing what we know but also use use materials that entertain as well as inform. To help teachers create graphics and images that can be incorporated into their own websites as well as materials and lessons for class, software for download and online tools have been created to aid the teacher in doing just that: enhancing their learning content with eye-catching, relevant visuals.

Many are already familiar with programs like Photoshop, which is as extensive as it is expensive (around $200), but there are other sites out there that can provide a number of tools to aid users in creating and manipulating their visual content. One site is found at https://www.canva.com. Canva is an online tool that allows the user to choose from an extensive gallery for background images, clipart, and font in addition to receiving downloads of user created work that can be used to create millions of designs for illustrations, headers, footers, even favicons for websites and publishable content. Many of the images on Canva are free to use; some are copyrighted and require a small fee for use if the work is to be published.  Another site, found at https://pixlr.com/, is similar to Canva but doesn't have as big a gallery or selection of images to be used. Users can upload their own photographs or art and use the editing tools to change the appearance of their images before saving the file in a number of different formats. Plixr is free for use.

As far as using these tools in the classroom, teacher and students can benefit from both programs when creating and adding quality visuals to match the content being addressed. For teachers like myself, programs like these can be used to improve the appearance of their classroom website or other learning sites to be used by their students. Students can use image editing tools to add annotations, compliment their text with accompanying photographs and diagrams, whether they be self made or found online. This can be very useful for students that are writing reports, sharing research, even making their own web pages.

I was able to use Canva to download a picture of my school, attach text, and save the file to be inserted as a header on my own blog. Here is a screenshot even though it can be see at the top of this page:

You can find the location for Canva here and the website for Pixlr here, but there are many other sites that offer similar tools with use of your Internet search engine.

Teachers will want to familiarize themselves with image editing software if they wish to practice what they're teaching students regarding the importance of presentation in their work. These days, it isn't enough to simply share the information; we have to find ways to make it interesting, relevant, and able to connect to the outside world as well as other ideas and concepts in the classroom.  Good visuals help us do all of these things.

ISTE Standards for Students

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Creativity and innovation (a, b)

       Communication and collaboration (a, b, c, d)

       Research and information fluency (a, b, c)

       Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making (a, b, c, d)

       Digital citizenship (a, b)

       Technology operations and concepts (a, b, c, d)

ISTE Standards for Teachers

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Facilitate and Inspire student learning and creativity (a, d)

       Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments (a, b, c, d)

       Model digital age work and learning (a, b, d)

       Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility (a, b, c)

       Engage in professional growth and leadership (a, d)

Sources:

Standards for Teachers. (n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2015, from http://www.iste.org/standards/ISTE-standards/standards-for-teachers

ISTE Standards for Students. (n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2015, from http://www.iste.org/standards/ISTE-standards/standards-for-students

Pixlr. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2015, from https://pixlr.com/

Amazingly simple graphic design. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2015, from https://www.canva.com

QR CODES

QR Codes stand for "Quick Response Codes" and are used to allow mobile devises like smart phones and tablets to use their cameras to scan the code, providing immediate access to specific content like messages and web pages. Computers that have web cameras can also be used to scanning and using QR codes.

Concerning their use in the classroom, QR codes are great way for the teacher to help focus learning by directing students to specific sites and content. QR codes can be used for assessment; students can look up correct responses with QR codes after they've selected they answer they think is correct. They are also great for providing additional information on whatever topic is being addressed. For example, if students were learning about different types of landforms, QR codes could be placed on an illustration of landforms. As students click on each QR code, additional information could name the land form, give a definition, even include photographs to illustrate more examples.

Below I used QR codes in a couple of ways. The first will be used in my classroom on Back-To-School Night. Instead of creating a long list of websites for parents to copy and type into their Internet browser, I set up QR codes linking them to information pertaining to our school, lunch menus, bus route information, forms, even a link to my blog online.

 As stated earlier, QR codes can provide additional support for student learning and don't always need to be used to link the user to specific websites. Here I used QR codes for students when reviewing the parts of a compass.  Instead of connecting to a website, these codes are linked to specific text that tells the direction a particular compass arrow is pointing or providing alternate names for main and middle directions.

QR codes are available through many sites on the Internet. Just typing "QR code generator" in the address bar will review a plethora of resources to get started. While some sites are completely free to use (like http://snap.vu/), many will offer a few free tries before offering pricing information. I've seen sites offer their services for as little as $5.00 a month and up (one example is https://app.qr-code-generator.com), depending on the needs of the user and the features available.  QR codes don't always have to look like a blizzard, either. Some sites, like http://www.visualead.com/, allow QR codes to be made that are superimposed over pictures or place a picture or clip are in the center of the code. Most of these sites will require a paid membership to make more than a couple of codes.

Teachers will want to consider using QR codes in their classrooms for a number of reasons. In addition to the pedagogical uses listed above, QR code are a convenient way to like a person to the material presented without the hassle of copying addresses or finding the right program on the computer for viewing. Sites could be shared via QR codes for professional development, sharing messages with parents about their child's performance, and linking materials for additional practice or extensions of learning. With five minutes of patience and practice, any teacher can make and use QR codes in her/his classroom.

ISTE Standards for Students

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Creativity and innovation (a, c)

       Communication and collaboration (a, b, d)

       Research and information fluency (a, b, c, d)

       Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making (b, c, d)

       Digital citizenship (a, b, c, d)

       Technology operations and concepts (a, c, d)

ISTE Standards for Teachers

(Click on the link above for descriptions of the following standards this tool can address.)

       Facilitate and Inspire student learning and creativity (a, b, c,d)

       Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments (a, b, c, d)

.      Model digital age work and learning (a, b, c, d)

       Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility (a, b)

       Engage in professional growth and leadership (a, d)

Sources:

Eridon, C. (2015, February 10). How to Make a QR Code in 4 Quick Steps. Retrieved July 11, 2015, from http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/29449/How-to-Create-a-QR-Code-in-4-Quick-Steps.aspx

Free QR code generator, create QR codes and track use | snap.vu. (n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2015, from http://snap.vu/

Standards for Teachers. (n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2015, from http://www.iste.org/standards/ISTE-standards/standards-for-teachers

ISTE Standards for Students. (n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2015, from http://www.iste.org/standards/ISTE-standards/standards-for-students

TEDTalk

If you haven't seen the TEDTalk on Media and Children by Dimitri Christakis, I highly recommend you check it out. It's relevant to any parent, educator, anyone that is interested in how different types of media can positively and negatively affect attention problems.  Here's my response sheet that I did after viewing:

Google Tool: Google Earth Pro

After exploring the many tools that Google has to offer, there were many that stood out as great ways to use technology for improving student involvement and learning. Undoubtedly, I will be discussing some of these in future Toolbox entries, but today I thought I’d introduce one tool that I hadn’t discovered or used much until recently:  Google Earth Pro.

Many are already familiar with this powerful navigation/exploration tool. Like its sibling, Google Maps, Google Earth allows users to find locations, directions, and distances using different layers to show the information the user is most interested in learning. Google Earth takes this exploration several steps further, allowing the user to explore the entire planet, provide photographs from users that were at specific locations, modify filters and layers not available to Google Maps (like showing buildings in 3D), and allowing users to pan, tilt, and zoom with use of the mouse as well as screen controls.

Using Google Earth in the classroom can address a number of North Dakota’s State Standards for Social Studies in areas like Map Skills (3.1.1, 3.1.2), Resources (3.1.3), and Physical Geography (3.5.1, 3.5.2).  A complete listing of these standards can be found at: https://www.dpi.state.nd.us/standard/content/sstudies/grade3.pdf

In addition, in February, Google Earth Pro was made free for the public to download!  Just go here for the download: http://www.google.com/intl/en/earth/download/gep/agree.html and use the code GEPFREE if prompted to do so.